Production of fancy yarn



De c. 9, 1969 SHIRO KONDO ET AL 3,482,389

PRODUCTION OF FANCY YARN Filed April 18, 1966 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 9, 1969 SHIRO KONDO ET AL 3,482,389

PRODUCTION OF FANCY YARN Filed April 18, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 H630 F/G3c F7630 PRODUCTION OF FANCY YARN Filed April 18, 1966 3 Sheets$heet 3 United States Patent 3,482,389 PRODUCTION OF FANCY YARN Shiro Kondo, Itami-shi, and Takao Shiranezawa, Hirohiko lida, and Masayuki Takahashi, Komatsu-shi, Japan, assignors to Teijin Limited, Osaka, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 543,312 Claims priority, application Japan, Apr. 21, 1965, 40/23,830 Int. Cl. D02g 3/02, 3/40; D01h 13/30 U.S. Cl. 57157 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of producing fancy yarn wherein fibrous masses are intimately introduced into spread filaments with subsequent twisting of the filaments into a yarn, the separation of such filaments being obtained by passing an electric current of at least 5,000 volts through a filamentary yarn having a resistance not greater than 5 l0 Q/ cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts.

This invention relates to a method of producing fancy yarns which consists of entwining such fibrous masses as neps, slubs, nubs and cut slivers or rovings intermittently in filamentary yarns longitudinally thereof.

A method has been known heretofore of producing fancy yarns from filamentary yarns by imparting a static charge to the filamentary yarns by means of friction, thereby separating the yarns from each other, then introducing short fibrous materials between the separated filaments and thereafter twisting the yarns (e.g., U.S. Patents 2,825,199, 2,953,893 and 2,964,900).

This method however can only by utilized with the hydrophobic fibers, which are readily imparted a static charge by friction. Again, even supposing a fiber having good electrofiable property is used, its state of electrification difliers greatly depending upon such as its moisture content, state of oiling agent, and temperature and humidity conditions. It is also unstable. This method also had such drawbacks as there was a limitation that it was difficult as a practical matter to separate the filamentary yarn continuously and stably under fixed delivery and windup conditions, as well as that it was diflicult to accomplish the entwinement of the short fibers to be introduced between the filamentary yarns, and also that the desired fancy effect was difiicult to attain on account of the unsable state of the separation of the filaments. This was especially true in those cases where the short fibrous material was those such as neps, slubs and nubs.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention is to provide an improved method for producing artistic fancy yarns from filamentary yarns and fibrous masses wherein the latter is interspersed in the former with a high degree of entwinement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method whereby fancy yarns can be produced by very stable operation from filamentary yarn and drafted slivers or rovings containing fibrous masses such as neps, slubs, nubs and cut slivers or rovings.

A particular object of thisinvention is to provide a method of producing fancy yarns advantageously from such filamentary yarns as viscose rayon which are difficult to impart an electrostatic charge.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

It has been found that fancy yarns such as silk-shantung yarns, silk-dupion, yarns, and filamentary slubbed or nubbed yarns are obtained in accordance with this inven- "ice tion by passing an electric current of at least 5,000 volts through a filamentary yarn comprising a plurality of filaments, which has a resistance of not more than 5 X 10 cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, thereby separating the filaments from each other, than introducing fibrous masses intermittently longitudinally of the separated filaments, and thereafter twisting the filaments.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, FIGURE 1 is a schematic view illustrating one embodiment of this invention; FIGURE 2 is a schematic view illustrating another embodiment of this invention; FIGURES 3-a to 3-d are reproductive representations of the fancy yarns obtained by this invention; FIGURE 4 shows one example of a means which is conveniently used to impart the conductive material; FIGURE 5 is a schematic view on a magnified scale illustrating the operation of separating the filamentary yarn and the drafting of the roving wherein fibrous masses are incorporated; and FIGURES 6-a to 6 illustrate some of the fibrous masses that are conveniently used in this invention.

Referring to FIGURE 1, filamentary yarn 2 having no twist or in a state nearly so (below 30 t./m.) is delivered by means of rolls 3, 3', imparted conductive material 5 by means of a conductive material imparting means 4, and then conducted via rolls 6, 6' to an electrode 8 of a high voltage power source 7. Filamentary yarn 2 consists of multifilamentary strand of various types such as natural, regenerated, semisynthetic and synthetic fibers. When the filamentary yarn 2 has a twist, an untwisting device is provided on the way to the electrode 8 so as to effect its untwisting. Again, in imparting conductivity to the filamentary yarn 2, this can be accomplished by using, as the conductive material 5, water, a surfactant or other aqueous solutions of such as electrolytes and applying it with an optional means 4, which may accomplish the application by immersion, spraying or direct application by means of a brush, etc. Alternatively, the process can be carried out under a condition of high humidity.

The filamentary yarn which is separated electrically in accordance with this invention must be one which possesses a leakage voltage value, when measured at 30,000 volts, of not greater than 5 X 10 .Q/cm./d., and preferably from 2 10 to 5 10 Q/cm./d. The usual nylon filament yarn and polyethylene terephthalate filaments have a resistance on the order of about 10 while that of viscose rayon filaments is on the order of about 10 In their usual state, these filaments do not possess the electrical conductivity as required by the present invention, and hence a separation of the individual filaments do not take place even though they are subjected to a voltage of at least 5,000 volts.

The conductivity imparting materials include such as water, surfactants and the aqueous solutions of (e.g., the anionics such as the salts of higher alcohol sulfates, aliphatic amine salts and alkyl phosphates; the cationics such as quaternary ammonium salts and pyridinium salts; the amphoterics such as higher aliphatic aminoalcohol sol-fates and phosphates; nonionics such as polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers and polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene alkyl ethers) and the aqueous solutions of inorganic electrolytes (e.g., LiCl, Na SO and MgCI When the filamentary yarn already contains a great amount of an antistatic agent (surfactant), there are instances where the desired conductivity is attained by just exposing the yarn to an atmosphere of high humidity.

FIGURE 4 is for illustrating in detail a conductivity imparting means 4 which effects the conductivity imparting operation by spraying. Air under pressure is jetted from a nozzle 22 via of a pipe 21. The air which is being jetted at this time sprays a conductivity imparting agent 5 against filamentary yarn 2 in the form of a mist.

Conductivity. imparting agent.5 is fed by,means of a pipe 23, and its level can be maintained constant. The amount of the conductivity imparting agent 5 to be applied to the filamentary yarn 2 can be adjusted by controlling the pressure of the air being fed from the pipe 21, provided the configuration of the nozzle 22, the distance between the nozzle 22 and the filamentary yarn 2 and the level of the conductivity imparting agent 5 are held constant.v Further, the treating of a plurality of filamentary yarns simultaneously is carried out with advantage by introducing the yarns into an atmosphere filled with a mist of the conductivity imparting agent 5. By operating in this manner, not only is the need for providing nozzles for each of the yarns obviated, but also the amount used of the compressed air can be saved.

While the electric current to be used for separating the individual filaments may be an alternating current, a direct current is to be preferred. Although the upper limit of the voltage used is not critical, a voltage up to about 100,000 volts is conveniently used from the practical standpoint of the art of insulation.

The filamentary yarn which has been electrified in this manner is spread before and after an electrode 8 and becomes a ribbon of filaments which are separated from each other. The potential of the electrode 8 may be either positive or negative. When the potential of the electrode is positive, the current flow from the electrode 8 to the filamentary yarn 2 and thence via rolls 10, as well as from the electrode 8 to the filaments and thence via of rolls 6, 6'. The separated filaments are delivered from rolls 9, 9' to rolls 10, 10. The width of the spread of the filaments at this time will be as great as to cm. depending upon the amount of the high voltage, the degree of conductivity of the filaments, the tension of the filaments and the configuration of the electrode 8, but this spread should preferably be controlled to about 5 to 10 mm. in order that the entwinement of the fibrous material can be carried out favorably. If the spread of the filaments is controlled by carrying out their separation under tension, the operation can be carried out stably. The details of the technique of separating the filaments, which can be used in this invention, are disclosed in a copending application Ser. No. 404,602 by G. Niina, Y. Sasaki and M. Takahashi, filed Oct. 19, 1964, now US. Patent No. 3,358,436.

On the other hand, a sliver or roving 12 wound up on another bobbin 11 is fed via rolls 13, 13 and arrives at rolls 10, 10' where it is drafted and simultaneously comes together with the aforesaid separated filamentary yarn 2 to be wound up while being twisted with a ring twister 18. In this case, the roving 12 itself is made into neps, slubs or nubs at rolls, 10, 10 before being brought together with the filamentary yarn. This is accomplished by providing rolls 13, 13' with an apparatus and, for example, as a variable speed clutching device which uses microswitches and electromagnetic clutches whereby the rolls 13, 13' are made to operate intermittently at equal or unequal time intervals. Alternatively, the delivery speed of the roving 12 is made to be less than that of the filamentary yarn 2, thus causing the roving 12 to become entwined with the filamentary yarn while being drafted regularly or irregularly at the time it comes together with the latter.

It is particularly desirable to use as the roving 12 a roving in which has been incorporated small pieces of fibrous masses such as neps, slubs, cut slivers or rovings, set and cut twisted yarns, and cut crimped yarns. Examples of fibrous masses which are suitable for entwinement intermittently in the filamentary yarn by means of the invention method are shown in FIGURES 6-a to 6 -f. FIGURE 6a shows a cut sliver or roving, which consists of a plurality of short fibers that are in substantial alignment in the lengthwise direction. The length of this cut sliver or roving may vary, ranging from that on the order of a staple to those on the order of about ,one meter long. FIG URE ,6 ,b shows an example of neps or nubs, which consist of a plurality of staple fibers that have been entangled with each other. Neps and nubs of various materials and sizes are commercially available. FIGURE 6-c shows a fibrous mass consisting of one or more filaments which have been entwined. FIGURE 6-d shows an example of slubs. They possess a slubbed appearance as a result in the twisting and entangling of a plurality of staples. Various types are commercially available. FIGURES 6-e and 6-1 are those consisting of twisted yarns which have been cut, the former being obtained from ply yarn, while the latter are obtained from single yarn. Besides these shown in FIGURES 6a to 6], fibrous masses of similar nature can also be used in the invention method. The incorporation of these small pieces of fibrous masses is best carried out in either the carding or drawing step of preparatory spinning system. When a roving is to be used which already has these fibrous masses incorporated therein, the aforesaid intermittent operation of the rolls 13, 13 is not necessarily required. The draft of the roving 12 can also be carried out in two or more steps. When the roving 112 contains fibrous masses, as shown in FIGURE 5, it is preferred that the operation be carried out from thick sliver or roving at a relatively high draft. Next, in FIGURE 2 is illustrated a modification of that shown in FIGURE 1. In this embodiment, rolls .14, 14 and anapron belt 15 are interposed between the rolls 10, 10 and 13, 13, and above said apron belt 15 is disposed an apron belt 16. Fibrous masses of such as neps which are placed atop the apron belt 16 are dropped therefrom onto the roving 12 atop the apron belt 15, after which the roving 12 is brought together with the filamentary yarn 2 atop a roller 10, and thereafter wound up with a ring twister 18. In this case, each of the rolls 13, the apron belt 15 or the apron belt 16 may, as required, be driven optionally either continuously or intermittently. Further, the use in this case of the roving 12 is not necessarily required.

When the delivery of the rolls 6, 6 is made to be greater than that of the rolls, 9, 9' in delivering the filamentary yarn 2, the filamentary yarn oscillates while separating at the vicinity of the electrode 8 and the individual monofilaments becomes entangled to form loops. Hence, if fibrous masses such as neps and slive'rs are brought together with the filamentary yarn in this state, a yarn is obtained which exhibits fancy effects that are very unique. On the other hand, if the delivery of rolls 6, 6 is made to be less than that of the rolls 9, 9, i.e., the filamentary yarn 2 is separated electrically under tension, the spread of the filaments becomes uniform and the operation can be carried out stably.

In FIGURES 3-a to 3-d are illustrated some of the products of this invention. FIGURE 3-a shows one of the products obtained by using as the fibrous mass either the cut sliver or roving shown in FIGURE 6-a; FIG- URE 3-b shows one of the products obtained by using the neps or nubs shown in FIGURE 6-b;- FIGURE 3-c illustrates one example of a product obtained by drafting a roving containing neps, which is then incorporated intermittently into the separated filaments while being cut; and FIGURE 3-d shows one of the products obtained by using as the fibrous mass the cut ply yarn shown in FIGURE 6-e.

The ratio of fibrous masses to filamentary yarn may vary within a wide range, but depends to some extent upon the intended use of the yarn. For most purposes, fibrous masses can be about 10-70, especially about 20-60% by weight based on the filamentary yarn.

EXAMPLE 1 An apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1 was used, and a fancy yarn, as shown in FIGURE 3-a, was produced from polyethylene terephthalate nontwisted yarn (50 denier, 25 filaments) and a roving (1.5 d. 51 mm., 70 grain 30 yards) of viscose rayon.

The initial resistance of the yarn of 3X10 t2/cm/d. was decreased to l.8 by application of water. The yarn was passed over the electrode 8 at the rate 24 m./min., and 25,000 volts of a direct current electricity was passed through. The spread of the filaments atop the guide roll 9 was about 21 mm. The amount of overfeed between rolls, 6, 6' and rolls 10, 10' was about 2%. On the other hand, roving 12 was unreeled from the bobbin 11 at the rate of 0.8 m./min. by means of rolls 13, 13', after which it was drafted 30 times and simultaneously brought together with the separated filaments 2. Rolls 13, 13' were driven and stopped at predetermined irregular intervals, and the ring twister was rotated at 7,200 r.p.m.

The plain woven fabric using the so obtained fancy yarn as the filling and polyethylene terephthalate trilobale yarn as the warp yarn was an elegant fabric resemblin g silk shantung or the like.

EXAMPLE 2 The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2 was employed, and a fancy yarn, as shown in FIGURE 3-c was produced from nylon-6 10 t./m. twisted yarn (100 denier, 24 filaments), a roving of wool fiber (120 grains/30 yards) and viscose rayon neps.

The initial resistance of the nylon yarn of 5 10 Q/ cm./d. was reduced to 6.1 10 by applying water to the yarn. The yarn was passed over the electrode 8 at the rate of 14.5 m./min., and an alternating current of 20,000 volts was passed through. The spread of the filaments atop the guide rolls 9, 9 was about 28 mm., and the amount of overfeed between rolls 6, 6 and rolls 10, 10 was about zero. On the other hand, roving 12 was unwound from the bobbin 11 at the rate of 1.4 m./min. by means of rolls 13, 13', after which it was drafted 10 times by means of rolls 10, 10 via of the apron belt 15. Then fibrous masses 17 which were located atop the apron belt 16 and in which were mixed at random very small to small neps in a ratio of 3:1 were brought together with the roving 12 atop the apron belt 15, which latter in turn was simultaneously combined with the separated filaments 2. The ring twister was rotated at a speed of 7,250 r.p.m.

The plain woven fabric which was woven using this fancy yarn as the warp and weft yarns was a fabric having fancy effects resembling voile.

EXAMPLE 3 The experiment was carried out as described in Example 2 but without using the roving 12 to obtain a fancy yarn whose nep entwinement was very good. This yarn could be used with no trouble at all in the warping and weaving steps, and a voile-like fabric whose fancy effects were great was obtained.

EXAMPLE 4 Employing the apparatus, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, a fancy yarn, as shown in FIGURE 3-a, was produced from polyvinyl chloride 17 t./m. twisted yarn (200 deniers, 36 filaments) and viscose rayon roving (1.5 denier 51mm., 70 grain/30 yards).

The initial resistance of 4.7 10 S2/cm./d. of the yarn was decreased to 8.1 10 by applying a 2% aqueous solution of nonionic surfactant (polyoxyethylene stearyl ethl' (130)15).

The ove'rfeed between the rolls 6, 6' and the rolls 10, 10 was about 1.5% and the speed of the rolls 13, 13' was m./min. Otherwise the procedure described in Example 1 was followed to obtain the intended fancy yarn.

EXAMPLE 5 Example 1 was repeated, except that the roving 12 used was one which consisted of of polyethylene terephthalate fibers (1.5 denier-36 mm.) and 80% of small silk neps, which had been mixed during the carding operation.

The resulting fancy yarn was a yarn resembling very closely silk shantung.

EXAMPLE 6 An apparatus as illustrated in FIGURE 5 was used, and a fancy yarn as shown in FIGURE 3-c was produced from viscose rayon denier, 33 filaments) nontwisted filament yarn and a cotton nep-containing viscose rayon (1.5 denier-51 mm.) roving.

The initial resistance of 3X10' Q/cm/d. of the yarn was decreased to 7.1 10 by applying water with a conductivity imparting means 4, such as shown in FIGURE 4.

The yarn was passed over the electrode 108 at the rate of 30 m./min., and a direct current of 30,000 volts was passed. The spread of the filaments atop the roll 1'10 was about 8 mm. The average tension at which the separated yarn was fed to the roll 110 was 0.2 g./d.

On the other hand, a roving 112 which consisted of 10% of small cotton neps and of viscose rayon that had been mixed during the carding step, was drafted 40 times with rolls 113, 113', aprons 111, 111' and rolls 110, and simultaneously combined with the separated filaments 102. The speed of the ring twister was 6,000 r.p.m.

The rough plain woven fabric, which was woven using this fancy yarn as the filling and cotton yarn (80/ 2 count) as the warp yarn, possessed exceeding elegance when used for summer shirting.

In this case, since the neps which had been mixed in the roving impede the uniform draft action of the roving even though the spinning parts such as the rolls 113, 113' are not given an irregular driving motion, the fancy yarn obtained becomes one in which the entwinement therein of the neps in the roving 112 has been accomplished with a random distribution of the former along with irregularities in the latter which differ in length as well as thickness.

We claim:

1. A method of producing fancy yarns which comprises passing an electric current of at least 5,000 volts through a filamentary yarn comprising a plurality of filaments, said filamentary yarn having a resistance not greater than 5X10 t2/cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, thereby separating the individual filaments from each other, then introducing fibrous masses intermittently into the separated filaments longitudinally thereof, and thereafter imparting a twist to the yarn.

2. A method of producing fancy yarns which comprises passing an electric current of at least 5,000 volts through a filamentary yarn comprising a plurality of filaments, said filamentary yarn having a resistance not greater than 5 10 n/cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, thereby separating the individual filaments from each other, separately drafting a roving containing fibrous masses, and thereafter twisting together said separated filaments and said drafted roving staples wherein the fibrous masses are randomly incorporated.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said starting filamentary yarn has a resistance ranging between 2 10 and 5X10 t2/cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, and said electric current ranges which is passed through said yarn between 5,000 and 100,000 volts.

4. The method according to claim 2 wherin said fibrous masses are selected from the group consisting of neps, slube, nubs and cut rovings.

5. The method according to claim 2 wherein said filamentary yarn is fed continuously at the rate of at least 14 meters per second.

6. A method of producing fancy yarns which comprises passing an electric current of at least 5,000 volts through a filamentary yarn comprising a plurality of filaments, said filamentary yarn having a resistance of not greater than 5 10 Q/cm./d. wh n measured at 30,000 volts, thereby separating the individual filaments from each other, separately drafting at least one roving, cutting the drafted roving, combining intermittently with the separated filaments longitudinally thereof, the bundles of staples obtained cutting the drafted roving, and thereafter twisting the filaments and bundles of staples together.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said starting filamentary yarn has a resistance ranging between 2x10 and 5X10 n/cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, and said electric current which is passed through said yarn ranges between 5,000 and 100,000 volts.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein said fibrous masses are selected from the group consisting of neps, slubs, nubs and cut rovings.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein said filamentary yarn is fed continuously at the rate of at least 14 meters per second.

10. A method of producing fancy yarns which comprises passing an electric current of at least 5,000 volts through a filamentary yarn comprising a plurality of filaments, said filamentary yarn having a resistance not greater than 5X10 0/cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, thereby separating the individual filaments from each other, separately drafting a roving containing fibrous masses, cutting the drafted roving, then combining the so obtained bundles of staples wherein the fibrous masses are incorporated, with the separated filaments intermittently and longitudinally thereof, and thereafter twisting the filaments and bundles of staples together.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said filamentary yarn has a resistance ranging between 2 10 and 5X10 Q/cm./d. when measured at 30,000 volts, and said electric current which is passed through said yarn ranges between 5,000 and 100,000 volts.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein said fibrous masses are selected from the group consisting of neps, slubs, nubs, and cut rovings.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein said filamentary yarn is fed continuously at the rate of at least 14 meters per second.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 69,178 9/1867 Chase 57-91 574,941 1/ 1897 Richardson 57-91 1,608,295 11/1926 Bcswick 5791 3,358,436 12/1967 Niina et al. 57162 JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 57-35, 36, 164 

